What is waste?

 Waste Framework Directive of the European Union, Article 3: “‘Waste’ means any
substance or object which the holder discards or intends or is required to discard”

- ex. sirang gamit sa bahay, mga plastic na bote, mga pagkain na hindi nakakain at
iba pa.
Waste can be classified
 based on source (who/what generated the waste? ) kung saan sya galing
 substance (what is it made of?),
 hazard properties (how dangerous is it?),
 management (who handles it?)
or a mix of these concepts.
Types of waste
Generally, waste could be liquid or solid waste. Both of them could be hazardous. Liquid and
solid waste types can also be grouped into organic, re-usable and recyclable waste.

 Liquid type:Waste can come in non-solid form. Some solid waste can also be converted
to a liquid waste form for disposal. It includes point source and non-point source
discharges such as storm water and wastewater. Examples of liquid waste include wash
water from homes, liquids used for cleaning in industries and waste detergents.

 Solid type: Solid waste predominantly, is any garbage, refuse or rubbish that we make
in our homes and other places. These include old car tires, old newspapers, broken
furniture and even food waste. They may include any waste that is non-liquid.

 Hazardous type:Hazardous or harmful waste are those that potentially threaten public
health or the environment. Such waste could be inflammable (can easily catch fire),
reactive (can easily explode), corrosive (can easily eat through metal) or toxic
(poisonous to human and animals). In many countries, it is required by law to involve the
appropriate authority to supervise the disposal of such hazardous waste. Examples
include fire extinguishers, old propane tanks, pesticides, mercury-containing equipment
(e.g, thermostats) and lamps (e.g. fluorescent bulbs) and batteries.

 Organic type: Organic waste comes from plants or animals sources. Commonly, they
include food waste, fruit and vegetable peels, flower trimmings and even dog poop can
be classified as organic waste. They are biodegradable (this means they are easily
broken down by other organisms over time and turned into manure). Many people turn
their organic waste into compost and use them in their gardens.

 Recyclable type:Recycling is processing used materials (waste) into new, useful

products. This is done to reduce the use of raw materials that would have been used.
Waste that can be potentially recycled is termed "Recyclable waste". Aluminum
products (like soda, milk and tomato cans), Plastics (grocery shopping bags, plastic
bottles), Glass products (like wine and beer bottles, broken glass), Paper products
 (used envelopes, newspapers and magazines, cardboard boxes) can be recycled and
fall into this category.
Sources of waste:

 Municipal sources of waste:

This includes trash or garbage from households, schools, offices, market places,
restaurants and other public places.They include everyday items like food debris, used
plastic bags, soda cans and plastic water bottles, broken furniture, grass clippings,
product packaging, broken home appliances

 Medical/Clinical sources of waste:Medical/clinical waste, normally refers to waste

produced from health care facilities, such as hospitals, clinics, surgical theaters,
veterinary hospitals and labs. They tend to be classified as hazard waste rather than
general waste.Items in this group include surgical items, pharmaceuticals, blood, body
parts, wound dressing materials, needles and syringes

 Agricultural sources of waste:Typically, this is waste generated by agricultural

activities. These include horticulture, fruit growing, seed growing, livestock breeding,
market gardens and seedling nurseries.Waste items in this group include empty
pesticide containers, old silage wrap, out of date medicines and wormers, used tires,
surplus milk, cocoa pods and corn husks.

 End-of-life Automobiles:When cars are all old and not working again, where do they
end up? Many people just leave them to rust in the fields, but there is a better way to
deal with them. In many cities, these vehicles are sent to the plant, where all the
removable parts are taken out for recycling. The rest is flattened up and shredded into
peices for recycling. The last bits that cannot be used again is sent to a landfill.

 Industrial sources of waste:Since the industrial revolution, the rise in the number of
industries manufacturing glass, leather, textile, food, electronics, plastic and metal
products has significantly contributed to waste production. Take a look at the things in
your home, every item there was probably manufactured and possibly, waste was
produced as a result.

 Construction/demolition sources of waste:Construction waste is that resulting from the

construction of roads and building. Sometimes old buildings and structures are pulled
down (demolished) to make space for new ones. This is particularly common in old
cities that are modernizing. This is called demolition waste.Waste items include
concrete debri s, wood, earth, huge package boxes and plastics from the building
materials and the like.

 Electronic sources of waste:This is waste from electronic and electrical devices.

Think of DVD and music players, TV, Telephones, computers, vacuum cleaners and all
the other electrical stuff in your home. These are also called e-waste, e-scrap, or waste
electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE)Some e-waste (like TV) contains lead,
mercury, cadmium, and brominated flame retardants. These are harmful to humans and
the environment. It is therefore important that the right authorities ensure the proper
disposal of such waste.
What is waste disposal?

- The collection, processing, and recycling or deposition of the waste materials of human
society.
There different methods of waste disposal depending on the type of waste:

 Sewage and water treatment system

- This process removes most or all of the impurities from wastewater, or sewage, before
they can reach groundwater aquifers or surface waters such as rivers, lakes, estuaries,
and oceans.
 Landfills
- requires collection and transport to a processing or disposal site. Refuse includes
garbage and rubbish. Garbage is mostly decomposable food waste, and rubbish is
mostly dry material such as glass, paper, cloth, or wood. Garbage is highly putrescible or
decomposable, whereas rubbish is not. Trash is rubbish that includes bulky items such
as old refrigerators, couches, large tree stumps, or construction and demolition waste
(e.g., wood, drywall, bricks, concrete, and rebar [a steel rod with ridges for use in
reinforced concrete]), all of which often require special collection and handling. Refuse is
often deposited in sanitary landfills—that is, pits or other sites sealed with impermeable
synthetic bottom liners where waste is isolated from the rest of the environment.
 Incineration
Burning is a very effective method of reducing the volume and weight of solid waste,
though it is a source of greenhouse gas emissions. In modern incinerators the waste is
burned inside a properly designed furnace under very carefully controlled conditions.
The combustible portion of the waste combines with oxygen, releasing mostly carbon
dioxide, water vapour, and heat.
How can we determine if we are disposing our waste properly?
Proper waste disposal involves committing to waste segregation. Before you dump all your old
things and scraps to the bin, sort out materials that can be re-used and recycled. The leftover
waste can then be sorted into organic waste, inorganic waste, non-recyclable material, and
even compost that can be packaged and sold.